lO SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 95 



above mentioned, are evident in the two sets of photographs. These 

 photographs also show the slow rise of the rocket from the launching 

 tower, but do not show the very great increase in speed that takes 

 place a few seconds after leaving the tower, for the reason that the 

 motion picture camera followed the rockets in flight. 



A lengthwise quadrant of the rocket casing was painted red in 

 order to show to what extent rotation about the long axis occurred 

 in flight. Such rotation as was observed was always slow, being at 

 the rate of 20 to 60 seconds for one rotation. 



As in the flights of 1930-32 to study rocket performance in the 

 air, no attempt was made in the flights of 1934-35 to reduce the 

 weight of the rockets, which varied from 58 to 85 pounds. A reduc- 

 tion of weight would be useless before a vertical course of the rocket 

 could be maintained automatically. The speed of 700 miles per hour, 

 although high, was not as much as could be obtained by a light rocket, 

 and the heights, also, were much less than could be obtained by a 

 light rocket of the same power. 



It is worth mentioning that inasmuch as the delicate directional 

 apparatus functioned while the rockets were in flight, it should be 

 possible to carry recording instruments on the rocket without damage 

 or changes in adjustment. 



FURTHER DEVELOPMENT 



The next step in the development of the liquid-propellant rocket 

 is the reduction of weight to a minimum. Some progress along this 

 line has already been made. This work, when completed, will be 

 made the subject of a later report. 



CONCLUSION 



The chief accomplishments to date are the development of a com- 

 bustion chamber, or rocket motor, that is extremely light and power- 

 ful and can be used repeatedly, and of a means of stabilization that 

 operates automatically while the rocket is in flight. 



I wish to express my deep appreciation for the grants from Daniel 

 Guggenheim, the Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation, and 

 the Carnegie Institution of Washington, which have made this work 

 possible, and to President Atwood and the Trustees of Clark Uni- 

 versity for leave of absence. I wish also to express my indebtedness 

 to Dr. John C. Merriam and the members of the advisory committee, 

 especially to Col. Charles A. Lindbergh for his active interest in the 

 work and to Dr. Charles G. Abbot, Secretary of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, for his help in the early stages of the development and 

 his contmned interest. 



